Vehicle bumper



G. KlNsEY VEHICLE BUMPER Jan. 30, 1951 Filed Oct. 27J 1948 E 5 a i frn/engfo'u e/ JTM@ ,l I

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Patented `an. 30, 1951` UIN IIT OF 2,539,955;

venia-Le Bungee: Gerge'liinsey, Norwood, At)www Geremia Applicationctnben 27, 1948, Serial No. 56,8735;

This invention relates to` @einem hiqle. bumpers. and-the principe @011' tO-nlevideafner a v bumper. constructionwhich` Will eiiniinateran dirt'imetal-termeel contact under impact.- Wlleiectively cushion and absorb th orge impact when thefbulmprer strikesrea object or other vehicle bumper, tolprovv g v tetienegeins.thetransmissioi, itsi i Vehicle frere@v endtQ greatly, r Aduce 1a1fnae-efluiten impact.

A-fur-therf inl-@rient @biedt-iste provide anorel 131,' OBQVS', bllllpl CQnSUTuC-DIL W readily; anuaCtcured-and assenibie the shock-absorbingelemen i moi/ed and replaced butgawlg-b ageinstdislodeemeni.under impact-f The principalfffeature oi. theinventjorn` 00115-4 sists in providing a ,vehicle bui s witharesilient har d.rubber ac g-str ingc.foryvaidlybthereome A ,A bumper unriehts; 0.1",- gu ,s can. I n projecting hard rubber cushioning-elemerrtsi oi.- cushion the shook of;iiipactandsupported` nja mannerftotransmit the forceof thefimpae back bareonstriiction andnroi/idi i A Y action to maintainithebumpe barmembersza-nd; facingstrip iniinterlocked rela-tion,

the-y 1hardrubber. cushioning elements in -,the.,,` bumper. upriglits ,for readyg-remoyalpandfreplacer@ ment.Y

Referringcto, th,e accompanying drawings Figure, I is afron-t elevationalyiew -ofa yehicleu bumper constructedt in ,accordance with: my .infL veton. Y

Figure 2 isn'anplan View .of Y the, bumpen 0f .Fig-`4 ure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View ta1e r1,.,onmyv the line 3 3 of Figurel.,

Figure 4 isa perspectiveviewtofthe,uprightgz. frame of the bumper uprghtbrgguard. with..ther; resilient cushioningr ,element yremoved therefromAll Figure 5 is anerspectiveview.otbe cushirgningisafI eleiinerit.` which is adapted; to'V inter-engagewwitnn thefffame 0f-Eieure4- Referring to the drawings.;iti'will"berseenzthat my` 11p/ump,enA constructionV in'comooratesA` a pair: of

.l transverse lbumper/1bars Iwhich'are of suitabler' angeslisg'formed with .a :groove isextending..,1on'` Arrangedbetween the bumper. bars :I isasom'e'w whats-Tfshanedfstrip 5 1 of :hard: rubber: or A"otheri resilient cushioning material. The strip is formed'.` with: an enlargedvbase 6 which' extends into etnie groot 4 if of@ the `flanges`Y 3 tol interlockA therewith enlarged-i r. rounded head1 1, the: undersurfaee ofwhich abutsf the outer faces J ofethel-bars, I,` the head -fportionexten'ding either." sidejfofl Ethe 'bmiyportion compressedfbetween' thel bars.

The;xstri.p f5 f is gthus l'interlo'ck'ed with7 thef bars thrn1g-l1f.;u that engagement` of.` the base? portion 62 withfthe erooved nanges 3 and 11s;- iuustrated Figuresi y l 1 and 2. This; strip; fextender.-Ilcmgitiidinit naliyof-thefbarsandl beyond the ends thereof;v

: being-cunved rearwardlyat the^ends, tas illus;Y

trated in Figure 2.

Suitablefi'retaining'r; pins or throughqthefanges; 3 =of the: barsserv'e :to posi-s tively maintain the-fbars and thefvstripJ-inlinterl locked :relation -with.I the: `head` portionsv'l fofv thelf str-ip; :projeetinggforwardly "of .the bars.

The: bumper r uprights i orf" guards; Y which??? are adaptedistfobe secured tofthe burnper construc=; tionfcomprisingfthe bars'll 'and istrip' 5f are illustratedvimFigures-#rand 5 and are shownv in positioniin'Figure" 3'- Each of these uprights or guards comprisesfa' frame-9, shown in Figure '4, anda'resilientcush. ionlgl'memberf IVof "h'ardrubber' or the likev 'bolts 8 extending `Wldi'fzl'ilengagesclin .interloekingsrelation in said?.

frame.'` The frame 97,' includes the spaced sidel walls' I I which areeonnected: adjacent their fendsfk by them reapV Wal-1` portions I2 and which are= forniedgwithl Vertical'I inturnedzanges -I 3 extend-v ing inwardly from their forward edges.

They. rear face of;v the frame isvv open between witnifthe g ,notchesahav-in'g affcentral: senr-nl-circulent` portion I to receive the enlarged head 'I of the strip 5.

As will be seen in Figure 4, the lower rear wall portion l2 extends above the end of the notches I4 in the side walls of the frame to dene therewith a recess I5 to receive and interlock with the lower edge of the lower bumper bar I.

Pivotally secured to the rear wall portions I2 are hinge plates I7 which, when swung -outwardly to the position of Figure 4, permit the frame to be mounted on the bumper bars I, but which, when swung to the closed rposition of Figure 3, engage the inner faces of the bars I.

These plates I'I are provided with out-turned Y flanges I3 at their free ends and these anges or lugs are arranged to overlie the flanges 3 of the bars I, as shown in Figure 3.

A locking pin or bolt I9, extending through the anges I8 and through the flanges 3 of the bars I, securely locks the frame in position on the bumper bars, and further, serves to positively ensure the assembled relation of the bars and the resilient bumper strip 5.

'Co-operating with the frame 9 is the cushioning member Ill, the body portion 2E) of which is shaped to fit within the frame 9, and this body portion is provided with vertical side grooves 2I to receive the inturned flange I3 of the frame to permit the sliding interlock of the cushioning member and the frame.

Formed at the top of the body portion 2 of the cushioning member are shoulders 22 which abut the upper ends of the side walls II of the frame to limit the downward movement of the cushioning member when it is inserted into the frame from the top, as will be readily appreciated.

Extending through the body portion of the member I0 adjacent each end thereof is a. transverse threaded sleeve 23 with which co-operate, when the cushioning member is in 'assembled position within the frame, the bolts or screws 24 which extend through the side walls'of the frame.

``With the use of these sleeves and retaining bolts the cushioning member is thus held against displacement adjacent the ends so that impact directed through the forwardly extending impact-receiving portion 25 of the cushioning member will act to deform the cushioning member be- ,n

tween the sleeves 23.

With the cushioning member I0 assembled within its frame 9 and the frame secured on the bumper bars I, as shown in Figure 3, the head portion 'I of the strip 5 will project into the rounded portions I5 of the frame side walls II-and will project within the semi-circular recess-25 provided in the rear face of the cushioning member IG, the notched portions 21 either side of the recess 2% being formed to receivethe portion of the bumper bars either side of the strip.

There is preferably provided a, slight clearance between the cushioning member I0 and the head of the strip 5 so that upon impact the force ing members, and the force of the impact actually transmitted to the vehicle frame will be reduced to a minimum.

On impact it will be appreciated that no metalto-metal contact will occur and the maximum dissipation of energy will be effected with the use of engaging resilient hard rubber surfaces to initially absorb the blow before it is carried to the rigid metal structure of the bumper.

From the foregoing it will be readily appreciated that my bumper unit will adequately protect the vehicle to which it is secured and will minimize the shock transmitted to the vehicle frame and will further eliminate completely the marring of polished metal surfaces when the vehicle strikes an object.

Further, with my arrangement an exceedingly attractive bumper is provided and with the arrangement of interlocking` bumper members and interlocking bumper guard frames the unit will be a sturdy integrally secured bumper structure.

It will further be appreciated that the various bumper members may be quickly and readily assembled and may be as readily removed for replacement, enhancing the practicability of the construction.

Should, for instance, the cushioning members Iii require replacement the bolts 24 can be readily removed, the member I0 slid upwardly and removed from the frame 9 and the new member inserted.

While I have shown the use of two uprights or bumper guards constituted by the frames 9 and cushioning members I0, it will be understood that the number and spacing of these guards may be regulated as desired.

While I have shown one particularly advantageous form of frame, other structural arrangements may be resorted to gain the contacting relation between bumper cushion guards and a cushioning element carried on the transverse bumper bar without departing from the scope`V l struction having resilient cushioning means extending forwardly thereof, spaced vertical frames secured to said bumper bar construction and engaging over said resilient cushioning means and open to receive said cushioning means to project therewithin, and resilient shock cushioning members mounted in said frames and anchored thereto on opposite sides of said resilient cushioning means and flexible between anchorage to contact under impact said resilient cush-v ioning means projecting within said frames to provide yielding contact surfaces to absorb and dissipate the force of the impact.

2. In a vehicle bumper, a bumper bar construction having a resilient cushioning strip extending forwardiy thereof, spaced vertical frames secured to said bumper bar construction and open to receive said strip projecting therewithin, and resilient shock cushioning members arranged in said frames and xedly secured thereto adjacent the ends with the central portion overlying said strip and flexible between the fixed ends to contact said strip under impact to provide a shock-absorbing cushioning effect therebetween.

3. In a vehicle bumper, a pair of bumper bars each formed with a grooved locking flange extending from one longitudinal edge thereof, a resilient hard rubber strip engaged between said bumper bars and formed with a locking flange engaging in the grooves of said bar flanges and having a head portion engaging the outer faces of said bars and extending forwardly thereof, frames secured to said bumper bars and open to receive said head portions projecting therewithin, resilient hard rubber cushioning members supported in and extending forwardly of said frames and overlying said hard rubber strip projecting therewithin to transmit impact shock thereto through contacting resilient surfaces.

4. In a vehicle bumper, a pair of transverse vertically spaced bumper bars having a resilient hard rubber strip locked therebetween and formed with a head portion lying against the outer faces of said bars, a pair of upright frames mounted on said bars and abutting the forward faces thereof, openings in the rearward faces of said frames to receive the head portion of said strip, upright resilient hard rubber cushioning members mounted in and projecting forwardly of said frames to contact the head portion of said strip extending Within said frames, pin means extending through said upright cushioning members and said frames above and below said strip head portion and permitting the central portions of said upright cushioning members between said pin means to deform under impact against the head portion of said strip to transmit and dissipate the force of impact through the engaging cushioning surfaces of said upright cushioning members.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4 in which each of said frames has an open front through which the cushioning member supported therein extends, an opening in the rearward wall of said frame shaped to receive said bumper bars and said cushioning strip, and plates hingedly supported by said rear wall either side of the opening therein to engage over said bars to permit said frame to be removably locked to said bars and to maintain said bars in interlocked relation with said cushioning strip.

6. A device as claimed in claim 4 in which the cushioning member in each of said frames is provided with a transverse threaded sleeve adjacent each end thereof, and retaining bolts extending through the side walls of said frame engage in said sleeve to comprise with said sleeve said pin means.

7. In a vehicle bumper, a bumper bar construction having a resilient cushioning-strip extending forwardly thereof, a pair of spaced vertical frames open at the front and rear faces, resilient shock cushioning members supported in said frames and xed thereto adjacent the ends and extending forwardly thereof and exposed through the open rear faces of said frames, and means removably securing said frames and shock cushioning members to said bumper bar construction with said cushioning strip received in the open rear faces of said frame, the exposed portions of said shock cushioning members exposed through the open rear faces of said frames being shaped to receive said cushioning strip while fitting the bumper bar construction on opposite sides of said strip, said strip and members upon impact providing contacting yielding surfaces to absorb and dissipate force of impact.

GEORGE KINSEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of` record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,446,708 Kunkel Feb. 27, 1923 1,532,487 Hayes Apr. 7, 1925 1,709,494 Shoemaker Apr. 16, 1929 1,881,231 Jackson Oct. 4, 1932 1,896,277 Barry Feb. 7, 1933 

